


Domestic Insecurities

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Heterosexual Sex, Post-War, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: Erotic Couplings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-20
Updated: 2012-02-28
Packaged: 2018-10-27 14:01:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10810470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: Gryffindor Twenty Year Reunion.  Hermione begins to realize that things aren't always as they were with Ron.  Post-epilogue





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

Chapter 1:

“Should we go, love?” Hermione asked. She tossed the small white invitation on the dinner table in front of her husband and went to tend to the scruffy owl that had brought it.

  


**Hogwarts Gryffindor Twenty Year Reunion**

**Come see how 20 years looks, Gryffindors!**

**May 27th 7PM Finnigan’s Pub**

  


The invitation had come by way of Scrappy, Seamus Finnigan’s owl. Seamus and his long-term girlfriend, Lavender Brown, were hosting the reunion at the pub Seamus owned in north London.

  


“Right, yeah we’ll go,” yawned Ron. He slid the invitation across the table and slumped back over his plate of leftovers which Hermione had charmed warm for him.

  


Hermione fixed him with a curious stare. _He doesn’t seem too excited about it? I can’t believe it’s been 20 years already!_

  


So much had changed in twenty years. The entire wizarding world was a different place from when they had left Hogwarts. The old Gryffindor group had been through quite a lot, fighting side by side against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Though they had not all keep in touch through the years, they were connected by the common impact the war had left on their young lives. Twenty years was a long time, Hermione herself was excited to see her old classmates again, to see how everyone had changed and catch up on old times.

 

“Of course, we see Harry all the time, but it has been ages since we’ve spent time with Neville; longer than that since we’ve seen Seamus and Lavender,” Hermione encouraged, in an effort to get more of a response from her husband. “I just thought you would be more excited to go.”

  


“I am excited, I said we’d go didn’t I?” said Ron, rubbing his eyes. He slid his plate away and sent it to the sink with his wand. “It will be great to see Lavender again. I’ll just Floo Harry and Gin to see if they’ll go as well.” He pushed away from the table, stretched and slumped off to the living room.

  


_It will be great to see Lavender?_! Hermione scoffed to herself and shook off the little twinge of jealousy. She was sometimes surprised by her own reactions. _Nothing wrong with that, I suggested myself that it would be good to see Lavender,_ she reminded herself as she went about using her wand to tidy the kitchen. 

  


The silly little flirtation Lavender and Ron had had back in their sixth year at Hogwarts had been just that and nothing more. Ron had even admitted to her that he had begun things with Lavender only to make Hermione jealous. She could finally admit, twenty years later, that she had been jealous; a flock of canaries and an ill fated “date” with Cormac McLaggen attested to that. But that was all in the past and Ron was now her husband of 14 years. 

  


_Thinking of old jealousies just isn’t logical. Lavender had been my roommate and is now a good friend. Of course it would be lovely to see her again,_ Hermione reassured herself. 

  


Finished with the kitchen, Hermione followed Ron into living room. He was slouched in an arm chair, his head flopped back and his arms limp at his sides, sound asleep. She sat on the arm of the chair and ran her fingers through his hair. 

  


“How are Harry and Ginny?” 

  


“Didn’t make it that far,” admitted Ron, nodding at the fireplace and giving her a sleepy, sheepish grin. 

  


Hermione stood up and rolled her eyes at him before grabbing both his hands and hauling him out of the chair. “Why don’t you head up to bed? Make sure to peek in on Hugo, and I’ll see you when I get there.”

  


Ron was already trudging his way up the steps, and waved at her over his shoulder.

  


Hermione flopped down in the chair Ron had just vacated, and kicked off her shoes. This was the second night this week that Ron had come home late from his office at the Ministry of Magic. Hermione usually didn’t mind, she much preferred him behind a desk, working as Logistics and Strategy Coordinator for the Auror teams, then out in the field. She felt more comfortable about his safety and it gave him more time to spend with the family. Well, the kids at least.

  


Ron never missed an opportunity to spend time with Hugo. They were one and the same when it came to their passion, bordering on obsession, of Quidditch. They also shared a mutual hate of household chores and mutual love of anything put on their plates. She knew Ron would miss Hugo terribly when he went off to Hogwarts next year and he had been making a point to spend as much time with him as possible. Ron missed Rose too, and had managed to arrange his schedule so he had the entire school holidays off when she was home from Hogwarts. 

  


Hermione couldn’t remember the last time he had arranged to be off for her. She rubbed her hands over her face and pulled the pins out of her hair, allowing it to puff out around her shoulders, as she worked out the tangles with her fingers.

  


She knew they were both busy people, he with his job, and she with her job in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, not to mention parenting, family and the numerous other obligations they each had. In the past they had always managed to fit in some time with each other, or at least let each other know they cared. Sometimes it was only stolen moments of touches and pillow talk before falling asleep for the night, a quick rendezvous in the shower in the morning before they readied for the day, or a quick snog in the lift at the Ministry before they went their respective ways.

  


If she was honest with herself, the thing that was bothering her was not that Ron wasn’t excited enough about the party, or things in general, it was that he didn’t seem excited about her anymore.

  


_We used to be so passionate about each other,_ she mused, and shifted in the chair, tugging her legs up under her and hugging her arms about her chest.

  


She smiled to herself thinking of her last year at Hogwarts when Ron was working with his brother, George, and how many times they had met up in Hogsmeade under the pretense of tutoring sessions, so Ron could take his N.E.W.T.s. There was really very little tutoring done at all. Hermione loved experimenting and Ron was a willing guinea pig.

  


The time they spent apart through Ron’s Auror training and Hermione getting her Magical Law Degree, had been agonizing, but when they found time to be alone, they more than made up for the time lost. She smirked as she remembered Parvati, her flat mate at the time, telling her in no uncertain terms that she “must move the bed away from the wall when Ron comes to visit.”

  


Marriage hadn’t cooled their fires in the least; they just had easier access to each other. Hermione didn’t have to sneak home from the Burrow in the wee hours of the morning or worry about moving the bed away from the wall. They didn’t have to worry about someone walking in on them in the kitchen, the hall or wherever they happened to be when the moment overtook them. When the children came, they were forced to be a little more subtle with their affections. No more sex on the kitchen table, or loud raucous lovemaking on the stairs, they were relegated to the bedroom or the loo at night after they’d put the children to bed. They had often organized frequent sleepovers at the Burrow with Grandmum, or with the cousins at Harry and Ginny’s. When there wasn’t time to plan ahead and waiting till after bed time wasn’t an option, they would put a locking and silencing charm on the bedroom door after explaining that Mummy and Daddy needed some alone time. 

  


Much to Rose’s embarrassment, Hermione had recently sat her daughter down, scientific manuals in hand and had explained the meaning of “alone time”. She kept pestering Ron that he would need to do the same with Hugo, but Ron adamantly maintained it was far better for all involved if Hugo found out about such things the old fashioned way, through his dorm mates, or one of his numerous uncles or older cousins.

  


Shifting back to the problem at hand, Hermione wondered if it was she herself who had lost interest. Did she still want Ron, after all these years? Sure she wasn’t as feisty or experimental as she had been in the past. She wasn’t throwing herself at him as she had when they were young, but she learned the art of silently communicating with looks and touches what her whole body would communicate when they were alone. Over time she had learned his body, and knew that running her hand down his hip with just the right pressure would make him stutter. She knew that just slightly flicking her tongue along the roof of his mouth would make him moan. She knew walking up beside him and laying her hand on his lower back just below the waist band of his pants, was the promise of what was to come. She could catch his eyes across a crowded room and send him the, “let’s get out of here” signal by giving him a slight smile and biting the edge of her bottom lip. 

  


Hermione shivered and hugged herself tighter. She _definitely_ still wanted Ron, right at this moment in fact. _When was the last time we had actually had sex?_ _It had to be a couple of weeks now!_ _Ughh, unacceptable._

  


She had tried a couple of times to get Ron in the mood, but he had either been asleep, too tired or said he had a headache. Lately there had been no overnight sleepovers at the Burrow for Hugo, or snogging sessions in the lift. There had been no snogging at all, save the quick goodbye or welcome home peck on the cheek. It had been a family joke that Ron and Hermione couldn’t be in the same room together with out touching, however recently that didn’t seem to hold up. On the contrary, just this evening they had squeezed past each other through a doorway with “pardon me’s” and “after you’s” as polite as strangers, purposely walking around each other. Previously this scenario would have been a perfect opportunity for some not so polite touching.

  


_Really! A couple of weeks already?_ Thought Hermione, shocked at the realization. _How could this be?_ She tried to recall just when this strange relationship development had begun. 

  


She knew they had both been working hard, but she never expected it to take a toll on this part of their relationship. The intimacy they had always shared was what made their hectic life style bearable. She knew she could always come home after a stressful day, close the bedroom door, and find peace, comfort and blissful release in Ron’s arms. She knew Ron loved her, that was never in question, but maybe he just didn’t want her anymore. Had she just become a sexual habit to him, routine? Maybe their love life wasn’t as inspired or all encompassing for him as it was for her?

  


Hermione cringed in discomfort at this thought, and rose suddenly from the chair. _It had to be just more than busy life_. _Could Ron be cheating on me!?_ She put the chilling thought out of her mind and chastised herself for even considering it. She knew Ron loved her and she knew he took his vows seriously when they were married. Plus there was no other evidence; every moment Ron wasn’t working he was with the family. _Wait, what exactly was he doing all these long hours at work?_ No, No she wasn’t going to become one of those wives, suspicious over every owl note and reading into each intercepted smile. She had always been a bit of a worrier, but worrying over something so far flung as that just didn’t make sense. _Worry isn’t logical._ With that mental reassurance, she went upstairs to draw herself a bath. 

 

As she ran the water and undressed she thought of other reasons why Ron didn’t seem to want her anymore. _I wonder if I’m beginning to look old?_ She ran her hands through her thick, wavy hair without a strand of grey in it, and stepped into the tub. _Who likes brown bushy hair anyway?_ At least she had ankles, as opposed to Fleur’s cankles, her calves went straight into foot without distinction. Skinny ankles,Aunt Muriel had once called them, but Ron had always told her he loved her ankles and legs. 

  


Her body had remained small, tight and petite, despite carrying two children. Of course she had faded silver stretch marks, courtesy of Rose and Hugo, but her stomach had returned to its fit, flat, pre-pregnancy shape. 

  


_I’ve kept my figure fairly well_ , she thought to herself as she ran her hand from her stomach up to her breasts. Of course, having nursed both her children, he breasts weren’t as perky as they had once been, but had filled out to a larger rounder shape that was quite nice. _Ron takes my breasts for granted now, it’s likely he doesn’t even notice I have breasts anymore_. 

  


_I wonder if this happens at some point in any marriage?_ _Most women must go through this right?_ She sighed with a deep sense of loss. 

  


Hermione ran her hand up the inside of her thigh. She wanted it to be Ron touching her; she had only ever wanted Ron, but a girl must make do. Letting her own fingers do what Ron was so practiced at, she imagined him touching her. His rough, calloused hands moving between her breasts, his expert fingers under the water between her legs She could almost feel the pressure of his body on top of hers, the caress of his chest against her breasts, the feel of his hips between her thighs, the goose bumps on his thighs and back from her touches. She could feel his warm panting breath on her neck and ear, and hear his encouraging whispers as she reached her own climax.

  


Hermione lay back in the water to catch her breath and wait for her heartbeat slow. _This is not good,_ she though getting out of the tub and drying herself off. 

She drained the water and slipped on Ron’s shirt which was hanging on the back of the door. 

  


_We need to sort this out; I can’t go on fantasizing about having sex with my own husband._ Tomorrow was Saturday; maybe she would Apparate over to Ginny’s while the guys were out and get some discrete advice on the subject matter. 

  


She walked into the bedroom, and slipped under the sheets. Ron was lying on his side facing away from her; she snuggled into his back, fit her knees behind his and laid her cheek against his broad back. Ron sighed and shifted in his sleep. He turned over and slipped his arm over her waist pulling her into his chest. Hermione smiled against his skin and cuddled in closer. When she felt his heavy breathing and light snores she pulled away and lay on her own side of the bed. Ron was sweet really and good to her but in his current state he was a big ginger teddy bear, and she missed the redheaded firebrand husband she had married. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

  
Author's notes:

Thanks to sciencegnome not only for superior beta skills but for answering my plethora of questions.

Disclaimer: I so humbly borrowed Charlie's girlfriend from, your favorite and mine, emmilyne's epic "Of Hearts and Heroes" simply because I've never been able to imagine him with anyone else.

* * *

Chap 2

Hermione woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs, a Saturday morning tradition that Ron had inherited from his mother. She put on a housecoat and wandered downstairs to the kitchen. 

 

“Morning,” said Ron as he passed her a plate, without so much as kissing her cheek or touching her hand.

 

She felt a brief flash of disappointment, before she remembered her resolve of last night to get Ginny’s opinion on the matter, before she jumped to any further conclusions.

 

“Harry’ll be over in a bit before we all take the portkey over to the game,” Ron told her through mouthfuls.

 

“Mum!” Hugo yelled down from upstairs, “Have you seen my Cannons cap?” 

 

“Check the shelf in your closet,” she hollered back, rolling her eyes at Ron as if to say,

_He’s your son._

 

Ron chuckled and returned to his eggs.

 

_Well at least we can still share a laugh_ , she thought with a twinge of sadness for what they hadn’t been sharing.

 

Harry came through the front door at the same time Hugo bounded down the steps. It was an explosion of feet pounding steps and slamming doors.

 

“Hey, mate! Care for some eggs?” called Ron from the kitchen, neither to Hugo or Harry in particular

 

“Thanks but no,” said Harry, as he grabbed a piece of bacon off the plate on the table and stood his broomstick against the wall.

 

“I flew over. Great day for Quidditch!” he winked at Ron.

 

“Hey, Uncle Harry! Can’t wait to see the new seeker play! He’s got a new move they say, better than the Wronski feint! Shame James and Al have to miss it,” blabbered Hugo through mouthfuls of eggs. He was covered from head to foot in Chudley Cannons orange and bursting with excitement to see the game with his father and favorite uncle. 

 

“Hey, Hermione,” said Harry, coming over to where she was sitting, wrapping his arms around her neck and giving her a big kiss on the cheek. 

 

Hermione glanced at Ron expectantly, but he wasn’t even paying attention. He was sweeping the dirty dishes off the table on to the counter where it would seem they would stay until Hermione washed them up. 

 

“Ginny and Lily are doing who knows what girly stuff today. They said you should Floo over if you got the chance.”

 

“Sure, sounds good. I had something to chat with Ginny about anyway.” She stood up from the table and walked toward the stairs.

 

“Alright, Hugo, let’s go,” said Ron shoving his son away from the food. “We’re going to miss the portkey.” 

 

“Bye, Mummy!” squealed Hugo, wrapping his arms around his mother’s waist, and running out the door after his father and uncle. “To bad there wasn’t an extra ticket for you. I know you’re sad you can’t come, but maybe you can go next time.” 

 

“Yeah, something like that,” she smiled wistfully at the back of her husband’s head, as Harry blew her a kiss and closed the door. 

 

*****

Hermione sat at the table sipping tea and sorting out colors of knitting yarn with Ginny and Lily later that afternoon.

 

“Grandmum, used to make a jumper of just that shade for Uncle Ron every Christmas. He couldn’t stand the color, but wore them anyway, rather than face Grandmum’s wrath,” said Ginny laughing at the color Lily had chosen from the basket.

 

“Blue for James, maroon for Al, and green for Dad,” said Lily laying out the skeins of yarn. 

 

“Alright, love, why don’t you go play while I start these jumpers. You can help again later, Aunt Hermione and I want to chat for a bit.”

 

Lily skipped away out the door to play in the yard and Ginny focused on charming each of the sets of needles to knit with the yarn Lily had chosen.

 

“This is going to take me all blasted summer, I can’t believe Mum made nine and more of these each year,” Ginny grumbled as the needles clicked furiously and yarn flew in all directions.

 

Hermione laughed and figured she was better off attempting to change the subject rather than jump in to help. “So, are you and Harry going to go to the Gryffindor reunion next weekend?” asked Hermione, helping herself to another cup of tea.

 

“Harry’ll go, I’m going to stay here. I wasn’t part of your year of Gryffindors, and besides I want to stay back and get things ready for the boys when they are home for spring holiday.” 

 

“You know you would be welcome to come anyway. Neville would love to see you, I’m sure Dean as well.”

 

“Oh, ha ha ha,” said Ginny, rolling her eyes as she picked up on Hermione’s attempt at teasing. Neville and Dean had both held a flame for Ginny back in Hogwarts before Harry.

 

“But if you would like to have Hugo stay for the night he is welcome to. It has been a while since he and Lily spent time together, and… it would give you two sometime alone together,” Ginny teased back, joining in to play Hermione’s game.

 

“Thanks, Ginny, Hugo would like that.” Hermione looked down at the near empty tea cup in her hands, “Well, about spending time alone with Ron…”

 

“Eww, gross! Stop right there,” Ginny interrupted her, wrinkling her nose and standing up from the table.

 

“The less I know about you and my brother’s kinky sex life the better. Just be glad I’m giving you the chance to be alone, you don’t have to give me the details too.” 

 

“Ok, fine,” laughed Hermione, “I’ll just bring Hugo over next Saturday before the party then.”

 

_Perhaps Ginny wasn’t the person to talk to about this issue_ , thought Hermione as she sipped her tea while Ginny once again attempted to tame the knitting needles she had charmed to knit the jumpers. 

 

Though Hermione usually felt at ease talking about anything with Ginny and trusted her opinion, intimate details about her brother, probably weren’t within Ginny’s comfort zone or knowledge base.

 

_So that cuts Molly out to, s_ ighed Hermione to herself. She trusted her mother-in-law’s advice on most things and sought her out for counsel especially on parenting in the magical world where her own mother didn’t have much experience. However, her current dilemma was probably not an issue she could ask Molly about; judging from her observations of Molly and Arthur’s relationship, sneaking off together during family events or arriving flustered and flushed at other times, Hermione wasn’t sure they had experience with her particular problem of waning affection either.

 

_No, wait!_ The thought dawned on her _, It’s not the Weasley women that can help me work this out, it’s the Weasley wives_. She would bring it up at Sunday dinner at the Burrow tomorrow if she got the chance. Feeling comfortable with her new plan of action and the tea drained from her mug, she reluctantly joined Ginny and Lily in collecting the scattered yarn, and packing away the partial jumpers. 

 

*****

Sunday dinner at the Burrow was the usual crazy event, teasing, laughing, children under foot and food aplenty. Later in the afternoon it seemed that most of the men and a majority of the children were off in the garden, having a rousing quidditch game or teasing the garden gnomes. Molly was amusing the younger children in the living room and Ginny had left for her late shift as a healer at St. Mungo’s. Hermione was alone with the other Weasley wives in the kitchen drinking butterbeers and tidying up. She looked around briefly, to make sure that no young ones were about and quickly thought up a way to broach the subject.

 

“So, I was just reading a study recently that a witch’s sex drive increases in her 30’s while a wizard’s peaks in his teenage years and decreases after that. Do you think that is true?” she asked, trying to remain nonchalant, while using her most academic sounding voice, as if she were asking purely for the research value.

 

“I don’t know,” winked Angelina, swinging her feet onto the table and taking a slug of her butterbeer. “George can still keep up with me pretty well.”

 

“Ack, no it’s not true, Bill has gotten worse after turning 30. He never leaves me alone,” spat Fleur from her spot at the sink as she charmed the dishes clean.

 

“I know what you mean,” said Percy’s shy wife Audrey, nodding at Fleur. “Percy seems more eager than ever, especially when I’m pregnant.” She blushed and clamped her hand over her mouth realizing she had said too much, when her revelation drew groans and snorts from the other wives. 

 

“And we all know about you and Ron. Couldn’t keep the two of you apart unless one of you was trapped under something heavy,” teased Angelina. “Not to mention Molly and Arthur, we’ve all seen them skive off to ummm… other activities.”

 

Hermione gave a saucy smile in response to the teasing, but felt her own disappointment cloud all the laughter in the room.

 

“So Hermione, it would seem like the answer to your question,” answered Charlie’s long term girlfriend Adrianna. “Is that the study may be true… unless you are married to a Weasley!” 

 

The girls all broke out in laughter. Hermione joined in but only half heartedly. She was discouraged, it hadn’t gone at all like she planned, a heart to heart with the older girls, everyone giving her hugs and telling their stories of dull spots in their own relationships. Instead she was left feeling even more alone.

 

As the night wound to a close, Hermione watched her brothers and sisters-in-law, pack off sleepy children and say their good byes. She watched the other couples, but she was stuck in her own thoughts. _So this is not normal at all for a marriage; Men didn’t just suddenly lose interest in sex, especially Weasley men. Am I just going to have to get used to the fact our love life is all dried up? Am I just going to have to deal with the fact Ron doesn’t want me anymore? Perhaps the solution is not getting others perspective. Maybe it is time I took matters into my own hands._


	3. Chapter 3

 

The rest of the week went on as usual: the normal habit, routine and no touching.  Hermione had attempted several times to initiate some intimacy and she did manage to succeed, but only once.  Ron had come home late once again that night, very tired.  He didn’t object to her attention, but he didn’t reciprocate either.  

 

“Love you,” he breathed as he kissed her goodnight, thoroughly relaxed. He rolled over and flopped his arm around her waist.  Hermione couldn’t help the tears that dripped silently onto her pillow when she felt Ron’s deep breaths of sleep against her back.  She was not relaxed, she was frustrated. She knew she loved him, but this just wasn’t how love was supposed to work.  Ron had never been selfish in sex, and usually enjoyed Hermione’s pleasure almost as much as she did herself. Her tears were angry tears that he hadn’t considered her this time, but also tears of mourning for the intimate connection with him that just wasn’t there anymore.

 

Ron had to work that on a special project in the office that Saturday morning before the reunion. Hermione spent the day trying to work on things around the house.  Mindless house chores had always been a perfect time for some serious thinking.  In her experience the most constructive approach to marriage issues with Ron was to let him work it out on his own.  The more she nagged, scolded, or suggested, the less Ron seemed to respond.  He was quite brilliant and intuitive when left to his own devices, and as much as it worked against Hermione’s nature she had to give him space.  

 

_This can’t be one of those times though,_ she thought, after returning from dropping off Hugo at Ginny’s. _He has had several weeks to work it out and nothing has changed, I’ve got to at least let him know I’m upset with his behavior.  I can’t believe he is so thick as to miss the fact we haven’t had sex in weeks! Even if he does notice it doesn’t seem to be high on his priority list or bother him all that much.  But I don’t just want a sympathy shag either, I want him to notice me, touch me like he loves me, like he used to._

As Hermione came in the house she heard Ron in the shower. _Ok, new plan of action, let him know what he is missing, so I can let him know what I’m missing,_ she thought as she went upstairs to dress for the party.  

 

She took some care in picking out what to wear.  She had a new spring dress that was exactly the same shade of pale lilac that Ron had admired back in their Hogwarts days.  She arranged her hair loosely with pins at the back of her neck, so it hung long down her back and had curls pulled out around her face.  She surveyed herself in the mirror.  “Lovely dear,” the mirror crooned.  Hermione smiled to herself, and feeling confident in her ability to entice she looked about the room for the best location to position herself to be noticed.  At that moment Ron came out of the bathroom, and without even a glance in her direction he walked straight past her to the closet without a word.   

 

Hermione burned with resentment, and turning away from him to the mirror, she pulled each of the pins out of her hair with a vengeance.  Ron finished dressing and headed down stairs.  Once the bedroom door closed behind him, she tore off the new dress and threw it onto the bed.  She clipped her hair back in an ordinary barrette and threw on an old black dress, which was her usual fall back for most events.  It was a Hermione dress, cute but sensible and not generally deserving of a second glance.  That was exactly how she felt at that moment.  _Plain old Hermione, who would look at you twice_.  She took some deep breaths in and effort to dispel some of the anger and tears that threatened to boil over.  She composed herself before grabbing her heels and heading back out of the bedroom.  If Ron didn’t care enough to notice her, then she wouldn’t make the effort to be noticed by him.  

 

“God, Hermione, come on! Were going to be late,” Ron bellowed from the bottom of the steps. 

 

Hermione fumed, _What’s got his wand in a knot? He hadn’t even cared to go earlier in the week, and now he is in such a hurry?  I’ve been patient enough with his lack of attention.  I don’t need Ron to notice me to have a good time!  If he hasn’t noticed something is different between us, then I’m not about to clue him in._

 

She saw him at the bottom of the steps, dressed in casual slacks and a dark blue jumper. 

_This isn’t fair_ , she thought, her determination not to let him get to her an ignore him completely was slipping away, replaced with bitter discouragement, _while I’m fretting over looking old, he still had the body of an eighteen year old_. _Damn you Ron Weasley! It doesn’t help the sexual frustration either, when he looks so appealing all the time._

 

They had decided to floo over rather than apparate, as neither of them had been to Seamus’ pub before.  Ron flooed over first, then Hermione. As she stepped out of the fireplace, she tripped on the heel of one of her shoes and stumbled into the room.

  

“Woops there,” said Dean Thomas as he caught her elbow.  Ron standing in the corner shaking hands with Seamus, didn’t even notice her grand entrance. _He would probably be more embarrassed by his clumsy wife than care I could have been injured._

The pub was large, warm, and comfortable, the walls hung with pendants of Quidditch teams, an entire wall was dedicated to paraphernalia of the Irish team, pendants, beaters bats, posters and even an old set of robes hung there.  The pub seemed quite lively with young witches and wizards crowded around the bar.  The bartenders looked busy.  Quite a few tables on the floor were occupied as well. Hermione recognized a few colleagues from the Ministry at a table to her left.  The wall opposite the bar was the massive fireplace that Hermione had just stumbled out of, and around it stood her old classmates, shaking hands and giving hugs as if 20 years had been nothing at all.

 

“Dean!” She turned to give him a hug. “Good catch! Thank you. It is lovely to see you again.”  

 

“You too Hermione, you look wonderful,” he gave her an appraising look.

 

“Hermione Granger!” bellowed Seamus, as he approached and wrapped her up in a bear hug. “I’d guess y’d be Weasley now tho’,  yah turned into a right sexy witch dinnit yeh?”

 

“Listen up you lot!” roared Seamus. “Now that yer all here, 20 year ago, we all helped rid the wizarding world of the nastiest wizard to ever darken its streets,” he continued, with a nod in Harry’s direction. “But our time at Hogwarts wasn’t all Death Eaters and Dark Lords, so tonight drink, eat, and remember old times.” He raised his glass in the direction of the bar, encouraging everyone to do just that.

 

“You want something?” Ron asked as he stepped up next her on his way to the bar.

 

“No thank you, I can get it myself,” She replied snottily.

 

Ron just shrugged and walked off with Harry toward the bar, she saw them exchange a look that she must have seen a hundred times, sometimes it meant “she’s mental” and other times it was “women do mad things, don’t try to understand them”.  Tonight it was a mixture of both.

 

_What was wrong with you_ , she chastised herself.  _Of course he doesn’t want to be around you if you’re going to be so nasty all the time._

 

“Hermione, you remember my wife, Helena?”  asked Dean, turning her attention away from Ron and Harry. Hermione shook hands with a tall, athletic looking witch, who reminded her of her sister-in-law Angelina.  

 

“It is nice to meet you again,” Helena said good naturedly.  She was also a Muggle-born witch.   “I’d love to know how you are working out having Muggle grandparents with your children.  My parents just can’t figure out what to do when one of the boys turns the dog blue, and they are really uncomfortable around broomsticks.” 

 

That was a topic Hermione had done some considerable thinking on, and Helena seemed genuinely interested in the decisions she and Ron made in terms of magical and non-magical child raising.  Helena and Dean had three young sons, who would be starting Hogwarts in several years time.

 

After a time, Dean came over and stole Helena away, and she and Hermione made plans to keep in touch.  Hermione wandered over to he bar, where Neville and Parvati were chatting.  

 

“Hello, Hermione!” Parvati called, waiving her over. Parvati’s thick dark hair still hung in a long plait down her back nearly to her backside, but she had begun looking her age, as Hermione noted crow’s feet around her eyes and laugh lines around her lips.

 

“Where is Ajay tonight?” asked Hermione, referring to Parvati’s husband, whom she had met on several occasions in the past.

 

“He stayed home with the girls, he was never much for Hogwarts parties any way, Neville and I were just remembering those funny coins that you had made for the DA.”

 

“I’ve kept mine all these years,” admitted Neville, and the three of them lapsed into a conversation of ‘Remember When’. 

 

Hermione and Parvati laughed heartily, as Neville told the story of one of his students who, goodness knows how, had managed to have a fanged geranium attached by the teeth to his backside, and nearly destroyed the greenhouses attempting to free himself.

 

Harry and Seamus joined them at the bar as Neville launched into another story of his Hogwarts students. Hermione looked around for Ron, and noticed him at a corner table.  Out of the corner of her eye she saw Lavender Brown approaching from the other direction.  Lavender looked as lovely as always, long blond hair, blue eyes and pouty lips, but she had gotten a bit plumper. 

 

_Oh yes, she is definitely is quite a bit fatter_. Hermione comforted herself with this thought but felt a strong urge to be part of the Ron/Lavender reunion.  She picked up the pace to make sure she got to Ron before Lavender but she wasn’t quite quick enough.  She arrived in time to hear Lavender gush, “Ron Weasley, you are as handsome as ever.”  She sensuously leaned over his lap to give Hermione a brief hug, as she approached from the other side.

 

“Twenty years has nothing on you, Lavender.” Ron grinned, obviously thrilled to see her.

 

“Lovely to see you again too, Hermione, you haven’t changed as much as I had heard.  Ron, I was just remembering some of our moments in Divination with crazy Professor Trewlaney, do you remember?”  Lavender laughed a tinkling giggle that Hermione remember she had never liked.

 

_Wait? "Our moments"?! What kind of moments had Lavender and Ron had in Divination? And crazy Professor Trewlaney? Lavender had loved Professor Trewlaney_.

 

“I don’t remember,” interrupted Hermione. “I never took Divination.”

 

“Oh that’s right, I do seem to remember you didn’t make it through that class. Well anyway, Ron and I have quite the memories” Lavender rambled on. “So, Ron told me you have two children?”

 

_When had he told her, I didn’t know they had been in touch._

 

“Yes, a girl and a boy,” She responded through tight lips.  Though it was silly and really didn’t matter twenty years later, Hermione was a bit put out at the quip that she hadn’t finished Divination. She had simply thought it useless and chosen not to continue.  Lavender had probably just forgotten the details; still Hermione didn’t like to be thought of as having failed at anything.  

 

“Rose is in her second year at Hogwarts and Hugo will attend in the fall.”

 

“Oh well, I never fancied motherhood much myself,” said Lavender with a dismissive wave of her hand.  Hermione, who had always enjoyed being a mother and was quite proud of her children, suddenly felt as if there was something terribly mundane about motherhood. 

 

 “But, there was a time, when I quite fancied this husband of yours.” She continued placing her hands on Ron’s arm.

 

Ron laughed, “It seems like you and Seamus do quite well here” he said glancing around at the full bar, wisely steering the conversation away from dangerous ground. Hermione stood, fists clenched, unable to come up with an appropriate response.

 

“We do,” admitted Lavender, turning away from Hermione “Do you remember dear old Madam Rosmerta from the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade? She helped us out quite a bit when we were first starting up. Come on, I’ll show you around and fill you in on everything.” She grabbed Ron’s arm and pulled him toward the opposite side of the bar.  “Hermione, dear, feel free to grab a drink and make yourself comfortable, it really is good to see you,”  she called over her shoulder as she pulled Ron away.

 

Harry walked up behind Hermione and passed her a drink.

“She really hasn’t changed much, has she?” he nodded in the direction Lavender and Ron had headed off.

 

“She is fatter than I remember and was she always that nasty? I can’t recall.”

 

Harry laughed.  “No, not always and never intentionally.  Lavender was really quite sweet.  Though I do recall you and she not being the best of pals sometime around the end of sixth year.”   He teased, poking her in the ribs with his elbow.

 

They made their way over to a table and took seats on the stools.  Hermione placed her drink down and glanced around, at the tables closest to them everyone seemed to be involved in their own conversations and not paying them any attention.  _Well if I’m going to ask now is as good a time as any_.  Hermione put her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands and let out a great sigh.

 

“Harry, can I ask you a question?” He nodded into his drink.

 

“Ummm, well have you and Ginny, uh, well, slowed down since you were first together?” Not sure she got her point across.“Do you have sex as often as you used too?” she blurted out hurriedly burying her face in her hands.

 

Harry snorted in shock, then laughed, nearly spitting out the mouthful of Firewiskey he had just taken.  

 

“Why, Hermione! You mean to tell me that the insatiable wonder couple is cooling off?” He teased, settling back against his chair.

 

“Shut up!” she snapped picking up her head and dropping her chin into her hands in defeat, “It's just, well, Ron doesn’t seem as interested anymore.”

 

“Well it is tougher for blokes as they get older.  Not me in particular, but you know.”

 

“What’s tougher?” she asked, not catching on.

 

Harry held up his index finger and let it bend limp at the knuckle

 

“Oh!” blushed Hermione. “No, it’s not that.  He always, uh um, responds, when we are together, but it just doesn’t happen as much anymore.”

 

“Well, give the guy a break.  He looks pretty knackered.  Stress can do that to a bloke too.” He finished the last of his drink and stood up.  He walked around behind her chair and squeezed her shoulders.  “Ron’s mad about you Hermione, you know that. Give him a bit, see if he doesn’t return to his randy self soon.”  He kissed her on the cheek and walked toward the bar to join the rest of the Gryffindor guys who were gathering there.

 

“Excellent, right, will do,”  she responded wearily, glancing around nervously to make sure no one had overheard.  She sat up straighter and smoothed out her skirt as a terrifying thought popped into her mind. She spun around and put her hands on the back of her chair as she called out to him.

 

“Wait Harry!” She called before he got too far away.  “Please don’t tell Ron we’ve talked about this," she pleaded.  And in response to an even more terrifying thought she tacked on, “Or Ginny!”.

 

He grinned, nodded and winked at her.  She watched him turn away and walk up to the bar.  He slapped Ron and Neville on the back as he reached it.

 

Hermione looked at Ron, sitting with his mates at the bar.  _Harry is right, he does look knackered_.  _And do I see a couple of grey hair in all that red?_   He laughed at something Seamus was saying and looked to be right where he belonged with the rest of the Gryffindor men.  _I can’t remember when I saw him laugh like that last or the last time he seemed to be having that much fun.  We certainly haven’t been having fun together lately.   Uh oh,_ the thought dawned on her with shame; _Have I been neglecting Ron? I’ve been accusing him of not noticing me and when was the last time I really paid him any attention._  This bubble of empathic reflection broke the minute she saw Lavender slide on to the bar stool next to Ron.  _Right, yeah, poor Ron.  Since when?  I’ve been practically throwing myself at him all week, and it doesn’t seem he is lacking attention tonight._ She straightened her back, refusing to feel responsible, and determined that Ron would have be the first one to apologize or grovel or at least finally notice something was wrong.

 

Remembering her thought of earlier in the evening that she didn’t need Ron to have fun, she joined Lavender, Parvati and the rest of the crew at the bar.  She was determined she would have at least a good night with good friends, and enjoy her time with people that seemed to actually want to be around her.

 

As the night drew to a close, Neville was first to leave, claiming professorial duties.  They all wished him goodbye with hugs and promises to stay closer in touch.  Dean, Helena and Parvati also said their goodnights to get home to children before the night became too far gone.  

 

“I’ll be guessing y’ll have to be gett’n home to the yung’un too,” Seamus, nodded at Ron and Hermione.

 

“Nope,” jumped in Harry. “They don’t have to get home to anyone but themselves, Ginny and I’ve got Hugo at our house tonight,” he winked at Seamus. 

 

Seamus roared with laughter and clapped Ron on the back.

 

Ron, gave him a snarky grin, stretched put his arms behind his head, “Right, well I am a bit tired, I guess well be heading home then too,” causing both Harry and Seamus to burst into laughter again.

 

_Prat,_ though Hermione, staring at him dumbstruck.  _If he even thinks of touching me tonight, he has another thing coming._

 

“Honestly, you’d think they were still 16 year old boys in the dormitory,” Lavender said to Hermione, looking disgustedly at the men.

 

Hermione gave her a thankful grin. “It was good to see you Lavender” she said, feeling charitable, after all they were old friends and had been roommates once.   

 

“Do come and see me anytime, and owl when you can,” Lavender pleaded almost desperately, grasping her hand.

 

Hermione realized as she looked at Lavender’s honest almost too eager face, that she was probably lonely.  She had no children and only Seamus for family. Growing up with Lavender in the dormitory with little girl hopes and dreams, she realized this was probably not the life Lavender had dreamt for herself.   This thought gave Hermione one of those little happy heart aches and made her own life, children, work, and even marriage seem a little sweeter. 

 

“I will,” she promised, withdrawing her hand and giving Lavender a sincere hug.  She gave brief embraces and wished goodnight to Seamus and Harry before disapparating home behind Ron who had left moments before her.

 

*****

She heard Ron fumbling around in the kitchen as she apparated into the living room.  She walked straight up stairs, without saying anything to Ron.  _I’ve had a generally lovely evening, and I won’t have it be spoiled with a row with Ron._ She thought to her self as she climbed the stairs.  

Once she reached the bedroom, she stepped out of her shoes and was beginning to take down her hair, when she was startled by a loud crack as Ron apparated into the bedroom directly behind her.

 

“They’ve been freed! Blimey, I was right after all.” He grabbed her about the waist and lifted her off her feet, swinging her around the room.  

 

It felt wonderful to be this close to him, to be pressed against his body, but she wasn’t ready to let her guard down yet. She resolved to remain angry at least till Ron acknowledged the horrible week they had, but she couldn’t quite get the message across to her body, when all she wanted to do was collapse in his arms.

 

“What has gotten into you?” she challenged, with her hands on her hips, after he had put her down and she regained her pissed off composure.  She swatted his hands away when he reached for her again.

 

He sat down on the end of the bed and ran his hands through his hair.  He reached for her and pulled her between his legs. This time she didn’t protest when he pulled her close and buried his face in her chest.

 

“Oh God, I’ve wanted to tell you for so long, Hermione.” Ron paused let out a couple of long breaths.He started slowly, “There was a kidnapping a couple of weeks ago, the Death Eaters took a couple of Muggles hostage.  The Muggle government didn’t know they were Death Eaters and the aurors had to work covertly.  We weren’t able to talk about it, and were all under a gag spell. 

 

He stopped and looked up into her face. “I tried something risky, something I’m not sure has been tried before.  I planted the auror team with the Muggle law enforcement when they raided the compound.  It worked!  I was right after all,  and now the Muggles have been freed, and everybody’s fine.  I got the owl just now from the office. The gag spell has been lifted too. I’m just so relieved the whole thing is over.”

 

He pulled her tighter, his arms around her waist.  She didn’t quite understand this all but she could tell he needed her now and giving in a little, she ran her hands through his hair and could feel him relax under her hands.

 

“I could tell you knew something was going on.” He continued with his face buried in the fabric of her dress.  He looked up into her eyes. “It was hard to even be in the same room as you, knowing I couldn’t tell you and seeing you look at me as if you thought me the most pathetic excuse for a husband.”

 

_Had she been that obvious?_   She flushed with embarrassment, thoroughly ashamed at herself, thankful he couldn’t see her face now.

 

“I’ve been walking around here on egg shells expecting you to go spare at me any moment.” 

 

She was going to protest, but he pulled her down to his lap and kissed her, softly at first.  This was the ‘I know I hurt you, I’m sorry’ kiss, but with an increasing pressure that meant ‘Let me make it up to you’.  He wrapped his arms around her hips and dropped his head to her shoulder as he broke the kiss.

 

“I’m so sorry to have put you through all that.  It kills me not to be able to tell you things. I can’t look into your eyes when I know I have to lie to you.  I can’t even touch you, almost as if you would be able to feel that something is wrong. Can you forgive me?”

 

Hermione blinked back the tears in her eyes.  The insecurities of the past week disappeared, the anger was gone, as she planted kisses along his forehead and on those grey hairs she has spotted just this evening.

 

“Of course,” she whispered in his ear. “Everytime.”

 

“Why did you change?” he asked as he took down the straps of her dress. “I liked the other one better, it reminded me of the one you wore to Bill’s wedding.”

 

_So he did notice, and he remembered the old one he had liked so much._

 

“You were lovely tonight,” he continued as he trailed kisses down her throat to her collarbone and shoulders.  “Pavarti is looking old and Lavender has gotten rather fat don’t you think?”

 

“You giant git!” she pushed away from him and swatted him in mock disgust.  She mimicked in her best Ron voice, “’Twenty years has nothing on you.'”

 

“Well one has to be polite, right?" Laughed Ron. “Couldn’t just come right out and tell her I thought she got fat.” He grinned as he dropped her dress entirely to the floor leaving her standing in her bra and knickers.

 

He leaned back on his elbows behind him on the bed and surveyed her.  
”You are definitely the best looking woman of the old Gryffindor lot.  I’m one lucky bloke to have taken you home from the party tonight.” 

 

“And you,” she said, feeling generous and climbing up on the bed with him. “You are still fit as you were twenty years ago, and I’m not just being polite.”

 

He laughed and pulled her down on top of him.  She laid her head on his chest and he ran his hands through her hair and lightly down her back, deftly unclipping her bra on the way down.

 

“So what were you and Lavender talking about the whole time walking around the pub.”  She questioned, not completely willing to let him out of his responsibility for the self-inflicted torture in which she spent the evening.

 

“Who knows, something about galleon exchange and the alignment of Saturn or something, I don’t know.”

 

“The alignment of Saturn? What rubbish, and to think the entire time I was just burning with jealousy.”

 

“Jealousy? Why, Hermione! I didn’t think you had it in you!” He laughed in mock surprise, as he slipped his hands inside her kickers.

 

“Lavender was always a right bore, I don’t envy Seamus in the least having to listen to her everyday.”

 

Hermione was delighted, though it was properly tempered with slight pity for Lavender.  Ron wasn’t tired of her, she hadn’t just become habit to him, he still thought she was beautiful, and judging by what he was doing with his hands, he still very much wanted her.

 

She sat up, straddling Ron’s hips and pulled off the unclasped bra.  Ron let out a small moan, his eyes focusing on her chest.  _Well, well he seems to notice I have breasts now_.  

 

“I was beginning to think you just didn’t want me anymore, that I was old and all used up to you,” she admitted, undoing the buttons on his shirt and running her finger tips along his chest.

 

“Hermione,” Ron groaned, putting his hand over his eyes, “I always want you, I’m sorry you felt that way. I just couldn’t bring myself to show you how much, knowing that I had keep things from you, it wouldn’t have felt right.”

 

He reached up and pulled her down against him again, her breasts against the bare skin of his chest.

 

“Let me make it up to you.” He flipped them over so he was on raised up on his elbows on top of her, as he removed his shirt.

 

“I’ll have Harry keep Hugo for the rest of the weekend and take some time off this week.  You’ve been looking tired too. In the fall, after Hugo heads to Hogwarts, we’ll have a holiday.  Maybe up north where I did Auror training, you always said you thought it was lovely there.” 

 

She tilted her head back to kiss him and reached down between their bodies to undo his buttons.  It seemed to be the answer that Ron was looking for, as he assisted her in finishing off the buttons and yanked off his pants in one motion. 

 

Hermione took him in her hand and guided him into her, there was no need to put on a show of teasing and foreplay. She knew this is what they both wanted, and after the few weeks of obligatory celibacy, she was ready.

 

She wrapped her legs up around his hips to draw him in deeper, and slid her hands down his back.  She tried to be still a moment just to feel him move in her, but she was too impatient and moved with him. 

 

She would tighten her muscles just as he was drawing out, causing him to catch his breath as he pushed back inside.  His hands roamed from her shoulders down her sides to her stomach and along her legs, while his mouth alternated between her breasts and her lips.

 

Her release was quicker, more forceful than it had been in a while.  Ron stilled his own movements, as he waited for her to ride out the waves of her own pleasure, watching her with delight.  When she had sufficiently caught her breath, she opened her eyes and looked up at him on top of her, his eyes were closed and he was taking long deep breaths in the effort of restraining himself.   She tilted her head to kiss him and hugged his bottom to her in permission for him to seek his own release.  Ron didn’t need more encouragement, and it only took a few more good thrusts till he shuddered and collapsed in her arms. 

 

They lay together for quite a bit before Hermione began to suspect that Ron had fallen asleep.  She stirred underneath him and Ron rolled off her and lay next to her with his head on her chest.  “I love you Hermione. No work tomorrow, we’ll just have a lie in then? G'night love,” he breathed, as he drifted off.

 

Hermione smiled to herself in the dark, running her hands through her husband’s hair. She was loved and wanted, and no busy schedules, gag spell, petty jealousies or 14 years of marriage could change that. 

_____________________________

 

Author's note: Chapter inspired by JK Rowling and LM Montgomery.  Two ladies without whom the world of fiction would be less grand.  Mighty thanks to super beta science gnome.  Always good value.


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